Police obstructs Atupele from attending parliament

Malawi Police on Wednesday obstructed Machinga North East lawmaker, Atupele Muluzi, from attending parliamentary deliberations when they stormed his house in Area 9 whey they seized his vehicle and detained the chauffer.

The son to former president, who has expressed interest to run for presidency in 2014, said Police came to his house to seize the white Mercedes Benz when he was on his way to parliament.

The arrest of the driver, according to Police spokesperson for the central region, John Namalenga is reacted to a fracas between UDF members and ruling DPP supporters who stoned Atupele’s convoy at Bvumbwe in Thyolo on January 29.

Police sources said the arrest was a tactic to “cover up” the ambush plot by the regime thugs which is said to have been masterminded by Charles Mchacha.

During the ambush of the convoy, young Muluzi’s security detail had to shield his Mercedes Benz by driving on the right hand side of the road from where the stones were coming from.

DPP member Saiwala Kupinda, who was treated at Thyolo District Hospital after being injured during the fracas, claimed he was among those advised to block Atupele’s convoy that was en route to Limbuli in Mulanje for a rally.

According to a caution statement Kupinda gave police, DPP members were allegedly advised to mount a roadblock at 7 Miles, just before Bvumbwe Trading Centre from the Limbe direction, on the Limbe-Thyolo Road.

The member said the advice came from a senior DPP official to prevent Muluzi from proceeding to Thyolo.

Sources say Kupinda, who sustained head injuries, has been told to change his statement.

Kupinda was identified by police as a businessperson at Goliati Trading Centre but comes from Mitabali Village, Traditional Authority Chimaliro in Thyolo.